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Soletrader to join Orchard Centre expansion line-up

Shopping malls giant Hammerson said this week it has signed Soletrader for its Orchard Centre expansion in Didcot with the retailer set to open a 1,835 sq ft store there.

Soletrader

The international brand, which opened its first store in 1962, will offer its complete range of footwear for men, women and children in the new location with the brands available set to include Paul Smith, Stella McCartney, Raf Simons, Nike, Adidas, New Balance, Converse, Vans and Etnies.

The announcement of the new store follows the successful first phase of openings which took place on March 22 and included an anchor M&S Foodhall, plus TK Maxx, H&M, River Island, Boots and Starbucks, followed shortly by Costa.

The expansion comes at a good time as Didcot is earmarked for transformation into a ‘garden town’ with 15,000 new homes planned and 20,000 new jobs, both of which should also help to deliver a major boost to shopping in the town while the mall is also encouraging shoppers into the town centre.

Hammerson said business has been brisk since the March opening of the mall extension with it attracting shoppers from a much wider catchment area, despite only a handful of the new stores being open from day one.

Andy Berger-North, who directed the project for Hammerson, said the company is taking its time to get the mix right.